S-P-E-L-L: How Spelling Bees Began and How Spellers Win

S-P-E-L-L: The Story of the Spelling Bee

1Today, most people hear the word "bee" and picture a buzzing insect. Long ago in America, the word had another meaning, too. A bee was a gathering where neighbors came together to work or compete. Families held quilting bees to sew blankets as a group. When students gathered to compete at spelling, the contest became known as a spelling bee.

2Spelling contests were common in American schools in the 1800s. Noah Webster, who wrote a well-known spelling book and later a dictionary, favored simpler American spellings, such as "color" instead of "colour." In many one-room schoolhouses, students stood in a line and took turns spelling words aloud. A student who missed a word sat down, and the last speller standing won.

3Spelling bees were also a kind of entertainment. Some towns held evening contests where adults joined in, and neighbors came to cheer. In 1925, a national spelling bee was held for the first time, bringing together the winners of many local contests. A national bee is still held each year.

4How does a speller do well in a bee? The first answer is practice. Many spellers study long lists of words for months. They also learn word parts, such as prefixes, suffixes, and roots. Knowing that the root "graph" has to do with writing, for example, can help a speller with a new word like "autograph."

5Spellers also use the rules of the contest to gather clues. In many bees, a speller may ask the judge to repeat the word, give its definition, use it in a sentence, or tell what language it comes from. Each answer is a clue. A word that comes from Greek, for instance, might spell the f sound with the letters ph, as in "phonics."

6Finally, good spellers learn to stay calm on stage. Many take a slow breath before they begin. Some picture the word in their minds, and others trace the letters on their palm with a finger. Then they say each letter slowly and clearly so the judges can hear it. A steady speller is less likely to rush and skip a letter.